The Devil's Temptress: The Curse of the Black Pearl || Jack Sparrow

VII. Bargain

As William was led, by Pintel and Ragetti, to the chest of glittering gold, Nicolette stood from the longboat and trailed a few steps behind. She watched closely, following the boys every step and monitoring each change of expression she could catch.

He really was the spit of ol' Bill, every bit as handsome and just a few years older from when she had first met the old Englishman. He spoke better of course, Bootstrap had insisted on giving her English lessons to improve the broken Italian she still spoke in as a young girl, but he had not been the best teacher. Knowing the man when she did, she knew Bill would have been proud to see how his son had turned out in life. Of course he was a squirming parasite who was getting in her way of mortality and was at times more irritating than a banshee, but he had made something of himself instead of turning to piracy; and Bootstrap would have been happy with that.

However, Nikki still hoped she was going to be the one to spill his blood. His father had been a tutor, a carer; true. But he was the sole reason she had been damned to this life for the past decade. Without him and without this boy, she might have been free. Free like Jack had been.

As Nicolette forcefully pushed her way through the crew, she took Will from his holders and dragged him with her as she took her place beside Hector at the chest.

"There you go, don't want any spills do we." Nikki chuckled darkly, kicking Will's foot just hard enough to knock him off balance so she could push him forward with ease. His torso was now uncomfortably held over the chest, the woman's hand buried in his hair keeping his chin high and neck exposed. "There's a good lad."

"Let not delay this any further, shall we lads?" Hector roared, grinning wide as Nikki pulled out one of the daggers she kept on her hip. "Begun by blood, by blood undone."

"Begun by blood!" The crew joined in and Will squeezed his eyes shut as the hand tightened its grip on his scalp and the metal edge of Nicolette's dagger grazed his throat.

She could feel Will trying not to struggle, trying to look all brave but she could also feel the pull of him trying to worm away from her weapon. It took all she had not to laugh, in the end all that sounded was a dark, slow chuckle through clenched teeth. She was reckless, it was so close. She could almost taste the wine and feel the cold at her finger tips. But then...something was wrong...

Nikki looked up with a frown as she noticed the crews cheers dwindling. If it were possible, the figure her eyes latched onto would have turned to stone due to the ferociousness of her glare. "By blood un-"

Distraction caused her grip to go limp and it didn't go unnoticed by Will who frowned before taking the chance to jerk his head up, putting space between his neck and the woman's dagger.

"Jack!"

It couldn't be...

"S'not possible." Barbossa managed to utter as he too watched the ghostly presence work its way towards them, muttering his 'excuse me's' and 'pardons'.

How was he able to keep doing this? The look of wonder on Nikki's face matched that of the rest of the crew as each man turned and stared.

"Not probable." The arrogance oozed from his words, he didn't even have a scratch on him. It was as if he had never been left there, like he had transported there on some ghost ship.

"Where's Elizabeth?" Will was able to stand, pushing Nikki back, just for him to be caught and held by Koehler.

"She's safe, just like I promised. She's all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised. So we're all men of our word really except for Elizabeth who is, in fact, a woman." Even Will looked like he was lost on this one.